Come Undone
by Ali989969
Summary: A/H OOC  Sookie is a military widow hiding away from the world on her family farm.  Eric is the field hand she hires to help restore the neglected property.  5 chapters.
1. Farmboy

**A/N: Ok, so I'm trying something new. I have this whole story almost completely written. Five chapters, no more, no less. I was chatting with MissyDee about how I wanted a cowboy Eric for FNB, but I'm not good at short and porny. So I came up with this little story. And MissyDee was a Godsend, beta-ing and proofing since this is my first attempt at writing in present-tense. Enjoy the ride... Oh yeah. Not mine.**

**EPOV**

I walk up to the door of the Stackhouse farm house. I need a job to get me through the summer and my aunt knows of a widow that owns a ranch and needs to hire a farm hand. Just someone to help out with the menial jobs that she can't handle on her own. I've been working on farms from the time I was old enough to hold a hammer, and, if the size of the place is any indication, she'll be able to pay well.

My jaw hits the porch when the door opens. Aunt Selah never said anything about the widow having a younger sister or daughter. She looks no more than a year or two older than my nineteen years. She has long blond hair falling down her back in waves and bright blue eyes that match the mountains on the horizon. Her lips are turned up in a puzzled smile. "Can I help you?"

"Um, yeah, Selah Compton said that you were hiring for a field hand. I came by to offer my services." I say after taking a moment to collect my thoughts. She simply nods in response.

My aunt is well known in the community, so she knows who sent me. "Well, come on in," says in a slightly tired voice. She holds the door open to let me through and makes sure it closes behind her. Gesturing to a chair at her kitchen table she continues. "So how much farm experience do you have?"

I figure she's handling the hiring for her mom (or grandmother), so I go with it. "I've worked on farms since I was little. I spent every summer with Aunt Selah and Uncle Bill. I wanted to get a little experience and maybe make a little more money than my aunt is willing to pay."

She stands and grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator and asks if I want anything. I decline and she sits back at the table, sipping on her drink. "Well, I'll show you around the place and see if you're still interested. It hasn't had the care it deserves in a long time and it will take a while to get back in working order."

She grabs a field jacket from the hook by the door and leads me out of the house toward a barn. "I assume you ride," she says, making me chuckle.

"Ever since I was tall enough to reach the stirrups," I reply, positive this is going to be fun. I've always loved horses.

She shows me where her tack is stored and leads in two beautiful beasts. One is a palomino mare, about fourteen hands, and a black gelding with a white stripe down his face that is easily over sixteen hands. "I want you to meet my babies, Candy," she says, scratching the mare behind her ear, "and Blaze," she nuzzles the gelding's neck. "Candy is used to me, but Blaze is better for you since you're heavier than me. Saddle up and I'll show you around."

I'm glad I didn't dress up, because otherwise I'd be a mess. After getting the horses saddled and heading out to look at everything, it's obvious that she wasn't exaggerating. Fields need to be cleared, fences need to be mended, A LOT of work needs to be done.

After riding for about an hour, we head back to the house and go inside. I accept her offer for a drink this time and we talk details. "I can offer room and board, plus a monthly salary of fifteen hundred, paid twice a month. I would expect you to be able to be on call at all times, but since it would just be the two of us, I don't think too much would come up."

Just the two of us? My aunt had to have gotten some information wrong. I want to make sure that I was in the right place. "This is the Stackhouse farm, right?"

"Yep. It's been in my family for the past hundred and fifty years. And yeah, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Sookie, Sookie Stackhouse-Savoy."

Now I'm really fucking confused. "Forgive me for asking, ma'am, but my aunt told me that there was a widow here that needed assistance with her farm."

"Yep, that'd be me," she says, giving me a sad smile.

**SPOV**

Oh, he's gorgeous; he's a good foot taller than my five-foot-four and his eyes are a clear, crystal blue like the sky at noon. His shaggy blond hair is tied back in a low ponytail and _damn_ can he fill out some Wranglers. I can tell by his expression that I'm not what he was expecting, but I go with it.

I sure as hell never expected to be a widow at twenty-seven. Remy and I lived on base in North Carolina at Camp Lejeune. When he came home last time, I was so happy. I thought we'd be able to get started on the family that we'd both wanted. Then he was deployed for eighteen more months; he never came home from that tour. I didn't want to live on or anywhere around the base anymore - not without Remy. I headed home to the farm where I grew up in Virginia. Gran had left it to me in her will when she passed, but I hadn't been there in years by the time I moved back. The idea of training and breeding horses, like Gran used to, appealed to me, but I knew the farm needed a lot of work before I could even begin to live my newest dream.

After living there by myself in mourning for about eight months, I put out word to my neighbors to forward anyone needing some extra work my way. I figured I could check references easily with a phone call. I wasn't expecting Thor of the South to show up on my front porch about three months later. I know his aunt and uncle, and even if I don't really want to socialize with them, I know they're honest people.

I'm actually glad he's fairly young. I know that what I'm offering isn't a lot money-wise, which is why I'm throwing in room and board. God knows I have more than enough room for someone else.

He asks for a little time to consider my offer once I tell him my intentions for the farm. Gran left me a good amount of money along with the ranch, plus Remy's military benefits and what was left from the inheritance after my parents died. I'm all that's left of my family and I plan on doing everything I can to bring life and prosperity back to the property.

He drives off in a red pickup that suits what I've seen of him so far. It's not new or flashy or loaded with options, but clean and well maintained. A few hours later, he calls me back to take the job, after asking a few more questions about the salary plus room and board. We set up a time for him to move in and get better settled.

**EPOV**

It seems like this was the job I was made for; farm work is second nature, but horses are a passion. I can't help but catch Sookie's enthusiasm when she talks about the animals that she loves. Although I tried to broach the topic, she avoided any discussion of how she became a widow so young. After talking it over with my aunt and uncle, even though they only live a short distance away from the ranch, we all decided it would be better for me to live there with Sookie.

I load my few possessions into the bed of my truck and drive to the Stackhouse farm the next day. It still seems a little daunting how much work it's going to take to get this farm back into working order.

Sookie gives me the entire second floor; it has a private porch and entry at the back of the house, as well as access to the main floor from a staircase in the main hall. The floor has a pretty big bedroom with a king bed, a full bath, and even a little furnished living room. I learn quickly that although she is generous in sharing her home, Sookie considers the kitchen "hers" and doesn't want me messing it up. I also discover quickly that she is an incredible cook. If she didn't have so much work waiting for me, I'd worry about gaining weight.

After dinner, she pops a couple of beers and hands one to me. I'm no stranger to alcohol, but I am underage. When I make that point, she raises an eyebrow at me.

"One, you're the size of two of me and I doubt one beer is going to get you wasted. Two, it's not like you have to drive to get home. Three, it's **a** beer. I like one or two to relax at the end of the day. I'm not a cop; I don't care if you do too." I nod and take a sip as she continues. "So, I've known your aunt and uncle for years, but tell me about yourself."

I tell her about growing up in Kentucky around some of the best horse farms in the country. I started doing part time maintenance work on some of the farms when I was fourteen: minor repairs in the fields and basic mechanics on some of the equipment. Once I graduated and was available full time, I had wanted to work more with the horses, but was told I needed more experience.

She leans back in her chair, propping her slippered feet on the table top. "So why not stick with it and get the experience?"

I think about that while I sip my beer. "I wasn't all that attached to Kentucky. I hung out there, really just biding my time. When Aunt Selah called and told me what you wanted to do with your farm, it sounded like a great opportunity." I shrug.

She drains her beer and tosses the bottle in a blue bin. "Well, I'm turning in. You're a big boy and can do what you want. Breakfast will be ready at six and we have a long hard day of work ahead of us, so I recommend turning in for you too. See you in the morning." She rises from the table with a tired smile and leaves the kitchen.

I follow shortly after, heading down the hall to the stairs. As I pass her room, I notice that her door didn't close all the way. I see her pull off the t-shirt she had been wearing and the jeans that hugged her legs like a second skin. Her outer clothes made her look like a tomboy, but what was underneath is _all_ woman. She stands with her back to the door, wearing pale blue lace boyshorts and, from what I can tell from the straps, a matching bra. She starts to turn and I rush past the door to the stairs, feeling dirty like a peeping Tom... and incredibly aroused. Fuck. Not a complication I was looking for.

**SPOV**

Eric is adorable, thinking that I didn't know he's underage when I gave him the beer. I don't care as long as it's in moderation and he stays off the road. We haven't really had a lot of time to get to know each other just yet, but we'll have a lot of time together in the fields tomorrow with nothing to do _but_ talk to each other.

I'm getting ready for bed, down to my underwear, when I hear the floor in the hall creak. I turn and see that the door didn't close when I came in. I go to make sure the door catches when I hear footsteps thundering up the stairs and smile. I find I don't really care if Eric sees me in my bra and panties. It feels nice to be seen again. I've missed that in the past year. No one has seen me in less than a bathing suit since Remy.

As is my bedtime ritual, I pull out my photo album. The pictures start with my junior year formal in college. Remy and I had been set up on a blind date by the sister of one of his friends, also in the Corps. The album documents our whole relationship from dating to engagement to marriage. Unfortunately, after the wedding, there are almost no pictures. He was rarely home for more than six months between tours. The album wasn't opened for a long time after he died, but once I moved back home, it kept me company here in the middle of nowhere.

I stroke Remy's face over the protective plastic covering our wedding picture. I know the hurt won't ever really go away, and I'll always miss him, but I also know in time it will be easier to deal with. Even though I smile at the thought of Eric seeing me undressed, I don't think being romantic with him would ever be an option; it certainly wasn't a factor in me hiring him.

I wake up like I always do at quarter after five. My internal clock is set perfectly and I don't even need or use an alarm clock anymore. I stretch and pull a robe on over my pajamas and head into the kitchen. First thing, always, is starting the coffee maker. I pour my mug as soon as I hear the big hiss of steam signaling that the brewing is done and sip while I look over the contents of my refrigerator. I went grocery shopping before Eric moved in, making sure the kitchen would be well stocked. I shred some potatoes for home fries, slice some bread fresh from my bread maker for toast, scramble some eggs and fry some bacon. Figuring there was a good blend of carbs and protein for a day of work, I started to get lunch ready. Lunch would be a quick affair, grabbing time to eat while we worked. I slice some more bread and tomatoes. Pulling off some leaves of lettuce, I plan on BLTs using any leftover bacon. If there wasn't any, well, we'd have tomato sandwiches. The tomatoes are home grown and don't taste bland like the out of season crap they sell at the grocery store.

I hear a loud buzzing coming from upstairs; a few minutes later, footsteps coming down the hall. Holy cow, Eric looks nothing like I expected; long legs in flannel pajama bottoms, bedhead that looks strangely sexy, and no shirt. That bare chest puts romance novel covers to shame. Ugh. Wide shoulders, chiseled chest and well defined abs, all earned by hard work and not some weight room at a gym. Eric rubs his eyes sleepily and looks at the spread I have set on the table and cocks his head. "You always cook breakfast like this?"

"Not hardly," I laugh. "But I probably will from now on. We're going to be burning it fast. Eat up." We fill our plates and eat in comfortable silence. I can't help but sneak little glances at the bare torso across from me. Nope, no harm in just looking when it's so blatantly on display. It doesn't take long for the table to be cleared, since between the two of us there aren't many leftovers; we separate, going to our respective rooms to dress and head out.

I pull on a USMC t-shirt and a flannel over it. I grab my favorite work jeans and tug those on too. I find my well-broken in hiking boots and some comfy socks before pulling my hair up into a high ponytail. Eric joins me a few minutes later in similar clothing: jeans, boots, and a t-shirt with the logo for "WinStar Farms" that has seen much better days.

I grab the keys for my four-wheelers since riding the horses isn't really practical today. I show him the first spots I want cleared and what areas I want fenced for feeding. I show him where I plan on building a riding ring and, once I get started, some land I might possibly want to use to build a full stable.

We get started running the mowers to get the grass drying for hay to use once the winter comes. It takes longer and was much harder than I expected. We finally get the first part of the field mowed by noon and settle down for lunch. I toss Eric a bottle of water that I pulled out of the freezer when we left the house that morning. It had been frozen solid then, but now it was nice and thawed; still cool. I see the speed he downs it and chuckle, tossing him another one. We sit on the freshly mowed grass and eat our sandwiches. We talk a little more about our lives, but I change the subject whenever it veers toward my widowed state. I'm still not ready to talk about Remy to someone I barely know.

He asks me about Candy and Blaze and I can't help but smile. Candy was the foal of Gran's horse Cinnamon and I claimed her as soon as I saw her tiny golden body, even though I hadn't been around much. Once she was old enough, we bred her and Blaze was her baby. I was only interested in quarter horses for the time being, but had no problems expanding my interest to other breeds in the future.

He tells me about some of the horses he had hoped to work with, all of them having stuffy, silly names like Shimmering Ballet and Paris Limerick. He agreed that the names were sometimes ridiculous, but the animals had no choice what their owners named them. I can understand that; hell, _I_ was named Sookie. No one knows that better than me.

With lunch finished, I grab a rake, a tape measure, and a can of red spray paint off the back of the four-wheeler. I start raking the mowed grass away from where I want to build a fence and mark the spots I want to dig for the posts with the paint, using the tape measure to check the distance between markings. Eric watches for a few minutes, then grabs the other set of tools I brought and starts at the other end and we meet in the middle. We both grab post diggers and start at opposite ends, knowing there's no way we're going to be able to finish. Just as the sun starts to set, we pack up and head back to the house, anxious to shower and get the sweat and pollen off our skin.

We meet after in the kitchen for a simple dinner of pasta and some more conversation. For nineteen, he's a smart guy. I can almost look at him and not see a kid. Almost. He doesn't give me a weird look this time when I hand him a beer. We've both earned it after a day of hard work.

I head to bed first again, and this time I make sure the door doesn't catch when I go to close it. Again, there's no harm in looking when it's on display.

**A/N: Reviews much encouraged. Let me know whatcha think.**


	2. Winter Approaches

**A/N: I was going to wait until tomorrow night to post this, but I'm impatient. Another big thank you to MissyDee for proofing, beta-ing, and keeping my tendency to fall into past tense in check. She's awesome. Enjoy.**

**EPOV**

We work together almost daily for the next three months. Once the first frost hits at the beginning of November, we have to cut back a little. We bale the hay, preparing for the winter ahead and Sookie looks into breeding Candy again after the New Year. We take the horses out to get a closer look at the property and take an inventory of things that we can work on despite the cold, like fences.

With a little more time on my own, I take the time to go into town and explore a little. Sookie calls in an order for lumber and I take my truck to pick it up. I meet my new old friend Mike in the lot at Lowe's and load the order into the bed. I decide to stop and fill up the tank before heading home. As I head down the twisty back roads I see a blue Mini Cooper on the side of the road with a black convertible top. Standing in front of it is an incredibly hot blond looking like she's... yelling at the car? I pull over to the side and roll down my window. "You need some help?"

"This Goddamn car ran over some fucking thing and now I have a fucking flat," she yells, still in the general direction of the car, and kicks the tire. She starts hopping, swearing even more. I see she's wearing terribly impractical heels and her front passenger side tire is indeed flat. I can tell with one look she doesn't have the slightest idea how to fix it.

"Do you have a spare? I can change it for you," I offer. She shrugs and pops the trunk, continuing to curse under her breath. It's really kind of cute.

I figure out the complicated system of releasing the spare from the underside of the car and jack it up. The whole time I'm on the ground, I can't help but think that American cars are so much easier. I get everything put back together and dust my hands off on my jeans. I tell the driver that she should head into town to get a new tire ASAP since the spare is only a short term fix and that she really shouldn't go faster than thirty-five until it's replaced.

She calms down by the time I'm done and introduces herself, apologizing for her initial rudeness. "Pamela Ravenscroft. Everyone calls me Pam, though." She runs a hand through her platinum hair and smiles. It doesn't quite reach her eyes, but she's trying.

After almost four months of hanging out with my aunt and uncle, or Sookie, I'm kind of craving some younger company ─ not that Sookie is stuffy and old or anything. She's just older, and besides the farm and the horses, it just doesn't seen like we have all that much in common. I suck it up and try to chisel my way out of my own shell ─ just a little. I swallow a couple of times nervously and ask, "So can I take you out for dinner this weekend?"

This time, the smile reaches her blue eyes. They're the color of blueberries, almost purple. "I'd like that. Maybe I can get _your_ name so I know who I'm giving my number to?"

Shit. I have no idea how to talk to girls ─ especially ones that look like Pam. "Sorry. I'm Eric Northman." I pull out my cell to get her number. She takes it from my hand and sends a text to her phone so we have each other's numbers. Once she gets back in her car and drives off ─ slowly, like I told her ─ I get back in my truck and head home, thinking about where around here I can take her.

I pull up to the barn and start unloading the lumber from the bed of my truck before heading to the house to clean up. Even though the work load is lighter, Sookie still cooks like a demon ─ not that I'm complaining. The smells of whatever she's cooked for dinner hit me right as I walk through the door.

"Honey, I'm home," I call out when I walk in after getting cleaned up upstairs. It's one of the little things we started doing once we started splitting up the work load and doing jobs separately during the day. Just a cute way to keep from catching each other in... less than opportune moments.

"Can you come in here? I want you to taste something," Sookie calls from the kitchen. Since I started working here, along with my farm duties, I am also apparently chief taste-tester. I head into the kitchen and see a huge freaking pot sitting on the stove. "I took some of the cans of tomatoes and green beans and some leftover veggies and chicken from the fridge. I didn't want to waste the food, so I chopped it all up and threw them in together. I want to see how my first attempt at homemade soup is working."

She hasn't made a single thing that I haven't liked yet, so I grab a spoon and taste it. With the exception of needing a little salt, it's perfect and I tell her so. She beams, fills two bowls, and takes them to the table. She already had it set with a little basket of homemade bread and crackers. She tells me about some of the sires she's looked into for Candy and I tell her about my impromptu job as a mechanic on the side of the road.

With my mind on that, I ask Sookie about places I could take Pam out to eat. She's known this area forever and knows it better than I ever will; her smile falters for a split second before brightening again. She tells me about a few places in town that have good food and good prices, although, now that I have room and board covered, money is pretty far down on my list of worries. I tell her I'll think over her suggestions and head back up to my floor to rest and call Pam.

**SPOV**

What the hell? Come on, Sook. You have absolutely **no** right feeling jealous that Eric wants to hang out with someone besides you. He wasn't even in high school when you were graduating college. Get a grip and get over it.

I couldn't help but feel a little lonely when Eric told me about wanting to take this girl - Pam - out to dinner. I'm slightly ashamed that the thought that he might want company besides me hadn't even occurred to me. I've been spoiled having him around every day for company. Sure we had our differences: he preferred rock to country, I would choose comedy over action every time, but they were just little things. I even opened up to him, just a little, about Remy. It's completely wrong of me to begrudge him this date. But damn it, I don't want him leaving me here all alone.

I grab some zipper bags and put the remainder of the soup in them to freeze for later on. I take my time cleaning up the kitchen since I really don't have anything else to do. I grab a beer from the fridge and lay out on my couch. I have the TV on, but I'm not paying attention. I feel like I did all those months I was living here alone, and I really, _really _don't like it.

Giving up on the idea that the television will occupy me, I grab the folders I have on sires I'm considering for Candy and head to bed. Some of the mating fees are ridiculous, but someone must be willing to pay them. Palomino quarter horses in this area are rare, so if we get a male foal off her with her coloring, we'll be able to recoup any money we spend on our own stud fees.

Wait. We? Our? It's been three damn months and I already consider this farm a joint venture. Eric's put just as much work into this as I have, only he's being paid to care. I don't think that matters all that much though. I can tell by the enthusiasm he puts into his work that he's not here _just_ for the paycheck. I'm pretty sure he can see the potential here for great things... just like I can.

I'm too damn distracted to concentrate on anything. I don't know why this upsets me so much! I toss the folder to the side and turn out the lamp next to the bed. I know sleep will be slow coming, but at least I'll be ready for it when it arrives.

**EPOV**

I head to the college campus to pick up Pam on Saturday night. I've heard about Ippy's, one of the restaurants Sookie mentioned, even though I've never been there. Pam and I talked a few times during the week and I told her it was casual. I'm not really a dress-up, suit wearing kind of guy. I can count the number of times I've worn a tie on the fingers of one hand. She still walks out of her dorm hall in an amazing dress that shows off all her features to her advantage and the heels I'm now realizing are a permanent part of her wardrobe, no matter what she's wearing. I help her up into the cab of my truck and we head into town.

We make small talk during the drive, but as soon as we're seated, I can tell this is going to go downhill, and fast. Before our drink orders are taken, she already has her phone out and is responding to the multiple texts that her sorority sisters are sending her. She laughs out loud numerous times. She rudely dismisses the server when she tries to simply do her job and tell us about the specials. I try to make conversation after she _finally_ puts the damn phone down, but she continues to show me how much of a mistake this date is. Her glass has one little water spot, she sends it back. Her salad has too many croutons; she sends it back. Her prime rib is too rare - at medium, as she requested - she sends it back. When it comes back at medium well, it's overcooked and... well, it's the theme of the evening. By the time the check comes, the only thing I want to do is go back into the kitchen and apologize, followed by a trip to our server with an apology for her too. Since I can't make personal amends to everyone that Pam had offended this evening, I try to make up for it by leaving a huge tip.

As I drive her back to her dorm, she seems to have no idea that this date just - for lack of a better term - sucked. She chatters on and on about things that I couldn't care less about, like the state of Kim Kardashian's divorce (who is that?), however that's only when she's not texting and laughing. She barely says goodbye as she steps down from the truck and walks in, still playing on her phone. I shake my head and head home. Are all people my age this damn dull and shallow?

I pull up behind the house, hoping I can head up to my room without notice - of course that's not the case. As soon as I change into my usual relaxation gear of sweats and a tank, my phone buzzes. I expect to roll my eyes at an inane text from Pam, but it's from Sookie. "If you want to talk about it, I'm still up". I shrug to myself and head down the stairs. Why not?

She's stretched out of the couch in her pajamas - thermal leggings and an oversized tank top. Wow. She pulls her legs under her to make room for me at the end and takes in my expression. "That bad, huh?"

That's all it takes to get me to spill everything. Pam's inability to be polite or courteous to anyone, including me. I'd seen that kind of behavior from the horse owners who thought the people they employed to look after their obnoxiously overpriced investments were beneath them. It didn't intimidate me or make me feel less than I was. It just made me like the horses more.

Sookie smiles. "I've never really had an experience that bad, but there were always the guys and girls at school that thought because they had more money than others that they were actually better people. It's a misconception that they're fed from birth. I grew up far from poor, but my parents, then my gran, made damn sure that I worked for every dime that went in my pocket. That's part of the reason I want to restore this place."

We've never really talked about her motivation and why she is so intent on fixing up the farm. I pull my legs up onto the couch and face her. "When I was little, Gran had all kinds of horses. She had some little Shetland ponies, several Quarters, and a big Clydesdale that I just adored. Now, Gran was... surprised by my dad when she got pregnant at 46, so she was pretty up in years by the time I came along. Momma and Daddy took over the running of this place right before I was born. They died in a car accident when I was just six. Gran refused to let me be put into the system and took custody of me. She was too old to manage the farm and ended up selling off the horses, except Candy, because I begged her. She also had no means of running the farm without assistance, so it just went to seed. She passed right before I left for college. I was over eighteen, so I was able to live on my own, plus my parents' life insurance, along with scholarships, paid my way through college. I paid for Candy to be boarded while I was in college. I got married right after I graduated. With Remy in the Corps, there was no way to tell how long he was going to be home or if we were going to be stationed somewhere else between tours. I pretty much accepted that, with this place abandoned, I was never coming back.

"When Remy died, I was lost. I knew I couldn't live on or around the base with all those other wives welcoming their husbands home and knowing mine was gone. I packed up and moved back here, glad that I had held onto it. I worked on getting the house fixed up and livable first. Once that was done, I wanted to put my focus on getting this back up to a working farm and bring my babies back, since she had Blaze by that point. And I knew it was something I wouldn't be able to do all by myself. Once I checked over everything financially, what I would be getting as Remy's widow from the military, what was left of my parent's life insurance, plus what Gran had saved from her Social Security and selling off the horses, I determined I was stable enough to get this place back to what it used to be."

I nod along as she talks, not wanting to interrupt one of the few times she's willing to tell me more about herself. I can hear the passion in her voice when she talks about the farm's glory days. It makes me want to help her even more. It impressed me immediately after I started, and continues to impress me, that she wasn't just making up arbitrary jobs for me to do while she sat back and drank lemonade, watching. Any job she gave me, she was willing to do as well. I know that with the work she's willing to do, this old farm could become great.

**SPOV**

I was vindictively glad that Eric's date had been a bust. I knew it had to be since he had only been gone for about an hour and a half. No good date ended that soon. He had gotten a cell phone shortly after starting here, at my insistence, so we could communicate when we were working in different parts of the farm, or if we needed something from the other. He didn't really like it, but he learned about it and how to use it. When he went right upstairs after getting home, I sent him a text saying I was still up if he wanted to talk.

Seeing him in his casual sweats was nice, but seeing those arms in that tank... well, that was a gift that just kept on giving. I don't think that boy has the slightest idea how holy fucking hot he is. Not that that's a _bad_ thing. Is it saying something that I wanted to make sure I looked good when he joined me downstairs? I made sure I was in cute pajamas before I texted Eric to come down.

He tells me about the superficial princess Barbie and how she ruined the date. I want to tell him a little more about why I'm so invested in getting the farm back up and running. In the process, I tell him more about my marriage and Remy. It stuns me to realize that he's been gone for almost a year and a half. I almost offer to show Eric my photo album, but I realize pretty quickly I'm not ready to share quite _that_ much. I finish my nightly beer and tell Eric good night before heading to bed. It doesn't escape my notice that his eyes never leave me until I'm behind the closed door of my lonely bedroom.

Since we don't have as much work to do, I changed our daily schedule a little once daylight savings time ended. I still get up at quarter after five, like always, but I didn't have breakfast on the table until seven. Every morning, I hear Eric's alarm clock go off fifteen minutes before he comes down the stairs, still looking sleepy and rumpled until he gets the first cup of coffee.

With the fresh load of lumber that he picked up a few days ago, I figure this would be the perfect time to start construction on the riding ring. The area where I want it is completely clear and the ground hasn't frozen yet, so the holes for the posts can be dug. I grab my tape measure and my can of spray paint after breakfast is done to go out and mark where I want the posts. Eric knows my process by now and follows me out when he's done eating with the post diggers.

The whole project of digging the holes and mounting the posts takes most of the day. Eric knows how to swing a sledgehammer like no one's business and it's a nice sight to watch. The next day we'll be putting up the rails and the gate. We've earned a good dinner, so I fire up the grill and pull out some steaks after I wrap some potatoes in foil and pop them in the oven. Eric raises an eyebrow at my intention to run the grill.

"Woman, you know that's the man's job," he growls playfully. He continues in a more serious tone, "I figure you've made me somewhere in the neighborhood of two hundred meals; let me cover this one."

I nod my approval and hand him the utensils and head back inside to make a couple of salads. He pops his head in the door and asks how I want mine cooked. I tell him medium and he nods before returning to the grill. A little while later, he brings in the steaks and we eat dinner; the silence while we eat is still comfortable, however there's something else. I can't really put my finger on it, but something has changed between Eric and me, I'm not sure what it is but I think I like it.

**A/N: If you've never read my stuff before, I live on meandering details. They're like air to me. I don't know how to tell a story without them. Totally blown away by the favorite and alert notices that filled my inbox after chapter 1. So completely appreciate every single review. Makes every bit of time I spent getting this down absolutely worth it. Please let me know what you think.**


	3. April Showers

**A/N: Okay, I want to address a few things here. There is roughly a 9 year and change age difference between Eric and Sookie. He turned 20 in November after he started working for her (in my head, Eric is _always_ a Scorpio). Sookie was widowed at 27; but after sitting at the house for 11 months before Eric walked on her porch, she got a year older (28). Don't know why I felt that was important, but I did. So many reviews show that the double standard is alive and well... if it were reversed, I wouldn't hear word one about the age difference. Just on a side note, I went back and added a paragraph especially for Makesmyheadspin... she makes me giggle. And thanks again to MissyDee. She's awesome (yes, I know...). On with the show...**

**SPOV**

Six months pass almost overnight. We have so much work between the two of us that the time passes like nothing. I found a dappled sire for Candy, so I know when she foals in November or December, it will be beautiful. Once the spring thaw hits, I immediately stake and break ground where I want to build the stable. I want that done as soon as possible.

Eric may know how to do many things, but architecture is not one of them. He can build, but he can't make plans. My buddy JB from high school, however, _is_trained and sketches up some blueprints fairly quickly. He comes over many nights and spreads them out over my kitchen table. I want Eric's input on these, since he had the benefit of having worked on some of the most impressive breeding farms this side of the Mississippi. I have a vague idea of what I want, but I want to know what is most efficient and what I need to be set up for.

I never fail to notice the smirk Eric has when JB puts his plans away each evening and goes to say good night to me. I've known him for more than ten years, so it's usually a friendly hug or a kiss on the cheek. I know that JB wants more, and by the twist on his lips, Eric is aware of the fact also. But the simple truth is that I don't, not with him. I think back and realize with a start that the last time I pulled by photo album out was at Christmas, and that thought saddens me.

The next morning at breakfast, I tell Eric that JB's crew is going to be pouring the foundation for the stable today, so we will be working getting the far field mowed and fenced. He nods silently and resumes eating. After a few bites, he mentions that he heard on the weather that there was a chance for rain and that we might want to hold off on the mowing. I agree and think about what else needs to be done.

Gran's old vegetable garden in the back yard is terribly overgrown and I want to put it to use again. I remember summers of my child hood picking beans, shucking corn, and shelling peas. Daddy never failed to put me to use. Gran always had the pressure cooker going at the end of summer, canning tomatoes and green beans and there were always huge freezer bags of broccoli, peas, and corn. Thinking about the fresh cucumbers in vinegar that used to be served with dinner makes my mouth water a little. I clap my hands, suddenly excited. "Alright, we won't do the mowing today. We'll make a quick lap through the fields, and then get started on the garden in back."

Eric smiles and I can almost see his enthusiasm. Something tells me that he didn't want to be in the fields today, but I don't question. I grab a couple of apples as treats for my babies to munch on while they are saddled. I want to exercise Candy a bit before her pregnancy makes the saddle too uncomfortable. Eric goes to change and meets me in the barn, grabbing Blaze's saddle on the way in.

I can't help but notice how attractive he is. The Wranglers he's wearing are tight almost to the point of distraction... _my_ distraction. How have I never, ever noticed that denim clad ass before? I shake the dirty thoughts out of my head (no harm in looking, remember?) and mount Candy for our lap around the fields.

We ride a loop around the farm; the path we take already well worn over the past nine months. I see a few fences that look like they may need some repairs in the future, but nothing pressing for now. We put the horses in one of the fields that we fenced in over the summer and unsaddle them, letting them graze and rest. Each of us carrying our saddle and reins; we head back to the barn to store the tack before tackling the garden.

For a few minutes, we stare at the muddy patch the takes up most of the back yard, trying to decide where to start. Eric walks off silently, but returns a few minutes later with two big garden rakes. "Before we can do anything, we need to get rid of the weeds." The rakes are heavy, with giant, thick teeth. He swings it over his head, driving it deep into the ground. He twists it back and forth a few times and pulls up hard. A whole clump of weeds and roots come up in a tangle, which he tosses to the side. I smile and nod and we head to different ends, working to meet in the middle.

I say the middle, figuratively. When we split the work this way, inevitably, Eric ends up doing more than me. He's just stronger and faster than I am. He's mentioned to me in the past that he liked the fact that I'm always right there with him when we work. When he came to apply for the job, he had expected a little old lady that sat reading quilting magazines while he worked himself to the bone for a meager paycheck. Just the thought of me quilting _anything _made me giggle and I told him that the farm wouldn't mean nearly as much to me if I didn't have a hand in the work it takes to restore it.

By lunch time, about three quarters of the garden is weed-free. We head in and cool off with glasses of sweet tea while I make some chicken salad from the leftover pieces of grilled chicken. Eric, knowing my routine well by now, starts slicing bread for sandwiches. I mix and chop and taste until I think everything is blended right. Eric confirms in his role as taste-tester and we sit down for lunch. I talk to him about some of the things I want to plant once the garden is ready and feel glad that we're getting this done before the planting season is done.

He's pretty quiet while I babble my head off. Once the plates are clean, I start loading the dishwasher. Eric, still at the table, asks me, "So what's the deal with this JB guy?"

Ok, color me confused. "What deal? He's planning my stable. He's an old friend from years back."

"Come on, Sookie. At least be honest with me. He was more than a friend at one point, wasn't he?" he smirks.

I shake my head. "Really, he has always been just a friend. We went on a few _innocent_dates and he escorted me to some of the school dances, but he never tried anything and I was never interested in getting him to. He always seemed more interested in my friend Tara, but she never gave him the time of day." I don't feel the need to tell him I've turned down his date requests at least three times since we've started working together. I've just never felt that way about him.

**EPOV**

Sookie is lying to herself if she really believes that. I'm not the most experienced guy in the world, but anyone can see that when he looks at her, he's imagining her naked. I don't like him. Especially the way he disregards my suggestions like I don't know what I'm talking about.

Over the past few months, I've gone on a few dates. None of them were as bad as Pam, but there was just something about these girls that didn't appeal to me at all besides their outer packaging. Every single time, I've come home to Sookie waiting up for me, letting me vent about the apparent shallowness of the females in my age group.

I spent Christmas with my aunt and uncle, but I felt bad about leaving Sookie alone. She declined the invitation they extended to her. She gave me a really nice Christmas bonus, something I had never had before, and it gave me an extra nice cushion financially. When I came home that night after dinner, I know I heard crying coming from her bedroom, but it wasn't my place to intrude.

We go back out to the garden and pick up with the weeding again. After the weeding, we have to get the rocks out so the tiller won't chip a blade. It's a shame that this land has been neglected for so long, but the soil will be rich after so much time has passed. While Sookie finishes weeding her row, I grab a wheelbarrow from the barn and start pulling up rocks from my end of the garden. A short while later, Sookie joins me, rather than start working from her end, so we can share the wheelbarrow.

She's busy looking at the ground, so I take the time to look at her. Her hair has grown over the past nine months and is halfway down her back. She usually pulls it back in a ponytail because she says it bugs her when it gets in her face. Thanks to the amount of time we spend outside her skin has a gorgeous golden tan right now, but she'll be solid bronze by the end of the summer. Her cheeks are flushed with exertion and despite the dirt streaked across the face, she looks beautiful.

I knew I was in trouble the night I came home from my date with Pam and saw her in those tight little pajamas laying on the couch. She told me more thoroughly about her motivations in restoring the ranch and about her husband. I knew by that time that he had been in the military and that he had been killed overseas. I also knew that Sookie came here right after his funeral, not able to stand being around the base without him. When she left after talking, I watched her go to her room, wanting more than anything in that moment to follow her and just hold her, give her some comfort.

Now this utter tool is getting her spare time at night to go over her stable plans. I get it, I really do, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. That was time I had gotten used to having with her, even if we did nothing more than talk about our plans for the next day. I miss that time with her.

We move down the rows and continue pulling out rocks. I've dumped the wheelbarrow twice since we've started and we're only halfway through. I go to dump the third load and see black clouds on the horizon. The wind picks up a little and I point the clouds out to Sookie. She shrugs. "We might as well get done what we can. A little water never hurt anyone."

We work a little faster, but the storm surprises us with it's speed. When the heavy rain drops first fall, she yelps in surprise and laughs at herself. She doesn't run for cover under the back porch, like I have. She stands with her eyes closed and her face to the sky, just letting the rain wash away the mud streaks.

I can't take my eyes off her.

I don't know what possesses me. I know acting on this may very well get me fired, but I can't help it. I walk out into the rain and pull her to me. By now she is completely soaking wet, but I don't care. She's right; a little water never hurt anyone. I wrap my arms around her and lower my face to hers. I kiss her closed eyes before letting my lips brush hers. I pull back and release her, not really believing what I'm doing.

Her eyes pop open and she stares up at me for a long, silent moment. I'm about to apologize or turn and run inside when she throws herself at me and grabs my shoulders pulling me down to her. At this point, I'm oblivious to the rain, the thunder, and the lightning and can only feel her warm mouth on mine. I grip the back of her neck, holding her head, scared she's going to bolt the moment I let go.

That fear leaves as she runs the tip of her tongue over the seam of my lips. I open my mouth and her tongue pushes in, running over mine. She tastes so damn sweet, a little like the tea we had at lunch. The rain runs down our faces, but neither of us care.

**SPOV**

Oh holy hell, can this boy kiss! Common sense says I should have run for cover like he did when the rain started, but at the moment I just didn't care. Something about standing in the open with the rain falling, the lightning flashing and the thunder crashing all around is completely exhilarating. I love feeling the water run down my face, rinsing off the mud I know I have on my cheeks and forehead.

I know it takes courage for him to grab me like he does; I've felt something brewing between us for months. It has always been the little things; a lingering stare here or an "accidental" touch there. Things that could be explained away. There is no denying what I feel in this kiss.

I get lost in the feeling of his full lips on mine and I sink into his arms, not giving a fuck that I'm getting soaked. The whole world ceases to exist until, "Hey Sook, we're packing up for the... what the hell?"

Shit. I hear JB come up behind us. He is almost as surprised as I am to find myself kissing Eric in the middle of a thunderstorm. Reluctantly I pull away from Eric and walk over to JB. "Thanks for coming out and getting that foundation poured today. It's covered up, right?"

He eyes narrow. "Sookie, I know how to do my Goddamn job. Of course it's covered." He pulls me off to the side and growls, "So it's too damn soon for you to go out with me, but it's okay for you to be making out with your Farmboy?"

He's not wrong. I told him that I wasn't over Remy's death as an excuse. I still love Remy and always will. But I know that life goes on and it would be wrong for me not to live it. I refuse to let him make me feel ashamed. "You're right, JB. You're a friend, and that's all there can ever be between us. I'm sorry if you thought there was more. I'm only interested in a purely professional relationship with you."

He sneers at me. "And the _kid_over there? He have any part in you only wanting just a 'professional' relationship?"

I look over my shoulder and see Eric, still standing in the rain, arms crossed and a decidedly unhappy expression on his face. "I don't know, JB. I just don't know yet."

I turn away from him, shoot Eric a look out of the corner of my eye, and walk straight into the house. I have a few things I need to work out in my own head before I can think straight about anything happening with Eric.

**A/N: And now I would like to introduce you all to a good friend of mine, known as the cliffhanger. Maybe. Sorta. Eh, either way you have to wait to find out what happens. I am all kinds of giddy tonight, so forgive my insane ramblings. Thanks again for all the alert/favorite notices and especially the reviews. Love 'em so much!**


	4. Thunder Rolls

**A/N: Just want to recommend a song that helped me in the writing of this chapter. The Killers is an AWESOME band (hush) and the song "When You Were Young" helped me get into Sookie's mindset. A sample lyric:**

_**You sit there in your heartache  
>Waiting on some beautiful boy to<br>To save you from your old ways  
>You play forgiveness<br>Watch him now, here he come**_

**I love just about everything by The Killers and have a little fangirl crush on Brandon Flowers. Ugh! So cute!**

**On another note, I couldn't have done this chapter without MissyDee's help. She is Blanche to my Rose (and if you don't get that, thanks for making feel old). **

**Also, I caved. Peer pressure is a bitch, so I'm posting early. This is my favorite chapter. It would have been up last night if not for epic fail on FF's part. Enjoy the show.**

**EPOV**

I watch as Sookie walks in the house, silently passing me. I've only seen her current expression once or twice since I moved in. It only appears when she's confused or conflicted about something. Since she's usually confident and decisive, it doesn't take me long to figure out that _I_am the source of her current state of mind.

Rather than follow her inside, I stay out in the rain and stare at JB. He's a big guy - probably normally pretty intimidating - but I'm bigger. And one look at his face tells me that he's just as pissed as I am.

"So how long has this been going on? Isn't she a little old for you? You should stick to your own generation, _son_," he fires at me, his eyes narrowed.

I feel my jaw tighten in response. I want to argue, but I don't want to give him the satisfaction. I decide to be the bigger man figuratively as well as literally and just walk away.

I head up the stairs outside to my private entrance, not wanting to track water and mud through the hall and up the stairs. I grab a towel out of the bathroom and try to rub the excess water out of my hair. I realize I'm still dripping puddles on the floor, so I quickly change into sweats and a tank - I don't see any point in putting my work clothes back on. The storm system is huge and supposed to last late into the night. Comfort is the rule when I'm stuck inside.

I stretch out on the couch with the TV on for background noise while I think. Kissing Sookie in the garden wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done. In fact, the more I think about it, it may have been one of my stupidest moves ever.

I'm not blind or clueless; there's been an attraction between Sookie and myself from the moment she opened her door when I applied for the job. There's a difference between thinking someone is hot and thinking they're beautiful. I learn more about Sookie day after day; she amazes me with her drive and her ability to persevere despite the hardships life throws at her. While I still think she is one of the most gorgeous women I have ever met; as cliché as it sounds, she's even more beautiful inside.

I have gone from being merely attracted to her to wanting her voraciously. I've used the shower more than once to relieve myself of fantasies of her, which were growing in both frequency and creativity. That surprises me; I'm no virgin, but the two girls I had been with in Kentucky hadn't shown me the things my brain was now capable of coming up with.

Now I don't know what to do. All I can think about is heading down the stairs and picking up where we left off before we were interrupted. I really don't think another shower was going to cut it this time.

**SPOV**

What the fuck was I thinking? How the hell did I think it was appropriate to throw myself at him and kiss him like that? I march myself into the bathroom and turn on the hot water for a shower. As hot as that kiss was, the rain was not and as soon as I pulled away from Eric's big, warm body, I felt the chill.

I strip my sodden clothes off and toss them in the hamper. Naked, I look at myself in the mirror. I'm not disappointed by what I see, but I'm the only one to see me this way in over two years. I can't help but wonder if another man will ever look at me with the same heat, intensity, and raw passion as Remy did.

I know that Eric is attracted to me. I'm not blind or stupid; truthfully I like his attention. Even if I'm daydreaming or just not paying attention to the world around me, I can feel the weight of his eyes on me. As wrong as my brain wants it to feel, my heart thinks it might be time to move on. There is something about Eric's quiet calmness that I crave. I know without a doubt that Remy would be pissed at me for hiding away from the world like I've done so far.

I step under the water and close my eyes, savoring the warmth as the water flows down my body. I lean and press my forehead to the tiles under the shower head. I want to move on. I want to feel a connection with someone. I want to feel my body come alive with another person's touch. The problem is, I feel so Goddamn disloyal for wanting that.

I force my brain to shut down so I can get this over with. I do my best _not _to think while I wash the dirt out of my hair and the mud off my skin. The rain seems to have only made it worse rather than better. I wrap myself in my warm flannel robe and grab my bottle of lotion that smells like almonds and cherries. I might live in jeans, boots, and t-shirts, but I still like smelling like a girl whenever I can.

After putting on the lotion, I slide on one of the little sundresses I haven't put on or had a reason to wear since I moved back. Leaving my hair down to air dry, I head out to the kitchen. I need to distract myself. I hear footsteps pacing above me and I can't help but smile, just a little. Apparently I'm not the only one at odds and ends over the events of the day.

It feels strange not to be getting ready for bed. The storm has the sky so dark it feels like night, but we had lunch just a few hours ago. I do a quick inventory of the refrigerator and pantry to try to decide what I want to make for dinner. I grab a pack of chicken wings from the freezer and mix up some of the spicy marinade that Remy taught me how to make while they defrost in the microwave. Cooking is soothing; it helps me concentrate on what's right in front of me rather than what's going on around me. The sky outside lights up like noon for a split second, then a crash booms so loud that I jump. The house goes dark.

**EPOV**

The house is oddly quiet. Normally, the only time Sookie and I are inside and not hanging out are when we're waking up or going to sleep. We spend most of our days outside together and the rest of the waking hours in the same part of the house.

I jump when I hear the loud bang of thunder, but am not surprised when the power goes out. I really didn't expect anything less from this monster of a storm. I make it to my nightstand and grab the flashlight I keep there for reasons just like this and plan on heading downstairs to make sure Sookie is okay. I heard her moving around the kitchen and I want to make sure she doesn't get hurt or burned.

I flip on the flashlight and go to the door at the top of the stairs. I normally keep it closed so the cool air from the air conditioning stays up here where it's supposed to. I open the door and step back in surprise. Sookie is standing on the top step with her own flashlight, her hand reached out like she was reaching for the knob. "Are you okay?" I ask, stepping back so she can come in.

She bites on her bottom lip, looking ten years younger, and takes the step in. "I need to talk to you. About what happened in the garden," she says quietly.

I knew it. My ass is getting fired. One impulsive decision and the best job I've ever had is gone. Maybe if I apologize for it before she gets the words out, it'll be forgiven and forgotten. "Sookie, I'm really sorry about that. It'll never happen again, I promise."

I have to be imagining the flash of hurt in her eyes; a weird shadow from the flashlights or something. She takes a small step back. "You don't want it to happen again?" she asks.

Damn, decisions, decisions. Fess up and risk losing my job or keep quiet and risk losing _her_. I know the indecision is apparent on my face and I see her make a choice. She takes two steps closer to me. "Would it help if I told you that it was amazing? That it was the first kiss I've had in over two years an it was more than I could have dreamed of?" She take one step closer so that only mere inches separate us. "Would it help if I told you that I want more than just a kiss?"

She stands on her toes and wraps her arms around my neck pulling me lower, the intensity of the earlier kiss has abated. Her lips press to mine, a strange mix of soft and hard. She sucks on my bottom lip and runs her tongue over it. I don't waste any time; I pull her tighter against me and tangle my hand in her hair in an effort to keep her from moving away.

One of her hands slides up the back of my neck, giving me chills. She pulls my hair just a little and I can't help the growl that comes from my throat; it feels so damn good. I can feel the heat rolling off her body through the thin cotton of her dress and my shirt. Fuck, she's not wearing a bra either. I run one hand lightly over the bare skin of her upper spine and feel her shiver against me. She's pulling down harder on my neck and I can tell the standing on her toes thing is getting hard on her.

I'm nothing if not a gentleman, so I back her up toward the wall and lift her up. Her legs immediately wrap around my waist and I help support her with a hand on that incredibly round ass that has been tormenting me for months. With the height difference no longer a factor, we attack each other with renewed vigor. Her mouth nibbles and sucks on my neck and I feel my eyes roll back a little when she hits the spot right below my ear. Her hair brushes over my face and for a moment I can only smell almonds. I use the hand in her hair to get her to return her mouth to mine. Her tongue swipes over my own and she tastes so fucking sweet.

I need to touch her more.

I walk us backward until my calves hit the couch. I sit and she immediate adjusts so she's straddling my lap. I run my hands up her sides and brush over her breasts. She moans in my mouth and gives me the courage to go further. I slowly slide the little spaghetti straps of her dress down her arms, giving her the chance to stop me if she wants.

She surprises me by standing and reaching around to her back. She unzips her dress and lets it slip down her body to the floor. She stands in front of me wearing nothing but dark blue lace panties and looks right into my eyes.

"Fuck," I groan, and pull her back onto my lap. I can't keep my mouth away from the most beautiful tits I have _ever _seen in my life. Her nipples are hard as pebbles as I run my tongue over them. She rolls her hips over me and it's a struggle to keep from coming just from that. She laces her hands into my hair again and pulls a little, harder than before. The pain and pleasure mix is intense and something I hadn't ever experienced before.

She grabs the hem of my tank and starts pulling. I release her nipple and pull the shirt over my head, tossing it to the floor as I return my mouth and hands to the bounty in my face. She runs her hot hands over my chest and abs, tweaking my own nipples with every other pass. She pulls my head up to hers for another intense kiss.

"Take me to your bed, Eric. Make love to me," she says roughly, her breath coming in quick pants.

**SPOV**

God, am I really going to do this? Apparently I am, because I follow Eric down the hall to the room that I set up for whoever was willing to take the job. I don't know if it was fate or coincidence or what that brought Eric to my door, but I'm not questioning it anymore.

We get to his darkened room; the power still hasn't come back on. There's just enough light coming in from the windows to allow me to see where everything is. I can't think of anything that would break the mood like tripping or falling would. The lightning flashes and I can see the way his jaw tenses and the way his eyes run over my body for just a second. I know it's been awhile for him. He has never brought a girl home and none of his dates lasted long enough for him to have slept with them. I'm the one that started this; I want to take care of him first.

I silently and slowly lower his sweatpants. I could tell from grinding on his lap that he was going commando and... big. I'm not prepared to see how far off the mark my mental measurement was. I seriously underestimated. I run my hands down his body and savor the feel of his surprisingly soft skin over hard muscles. He grabs my face and kisses me hard, his tongue thrusting into mine almost like he can't control it. He presses his hips into me and I feel his erection pushing into my stomach. I take a step back and look up; locking eyes with him. I make sure he's watching as I start to kiss my way down his body, letting my fingers, lips, and tongue play over his torso. I dip one hand lower and start stroking him, making him moan and his eyes roll back. I stop until he looks at me again and I start all over again.

I run my tongue over the delicious V of his hips as my hand moves faster. His hips are rocking instinctively and I can't help the smile that plays on my lips. Knowing that I'm giving him pleasure and that I have that kind of power over him is an incredible turn-on. I swipe my thumb over the moisture at the head of his cock and pop it into my mouth. _Jesus, he even tastes good._

I slide my hand to grasp the base of his shaft and lick the underside of his dick and almost come myself from the deep moan he releases. I lick his length twice, three times before I wrap my lips around him. I start slowly, taking more and more of him in on each pass. There's no way I'm going to be able to fit all of him in my mouth, but I'm damn sure going to do my best with what I can. His hands grab my hair and I can feel him straining not to full-on fuck my mouth. "Jesus Christ, Sookie... _fuck_, what you do to me..," he growls. I move my unoccupied hand from his hip to his balls and roll them slightly in my palm, softly squeezing them. Apparently that's the little push that he needs.

"Fuck, Sookie, I'm gonna come," he manages to choke out and I take him as deep as I can in my throat without gagging. I feel him spasming between my lips and he pulls my hair a little with each pulse. I swallow until he's done and slowly release him from my mouth. Breathing hard, he extends his hand to help me off my knees.

I stand in front of him in my now soaked little blue bikinis and let him take the lead. Still standing beside the bed, he picks me up bridal style and puts me down with my head on the pillows. He kisses my mouth softly. "I want to show you what I've been dreaming about for almost a year," he whispers into my neck and his hot breath gives me goosebumps.

He moves so slowly, and I'm grateful. I know he wants to savor this experience and so do I. He knows as much about my personal life over the past nine months as I do about his and I know he knows that I haven't been with anyone since I was married. I feel his body stretch out over mine and, with his weight on his forearms, begins learning the lines of my body with his lips and tongue.

He kisses his way down my neck and over my shoulders until he's at my breasts again. I only hear a rumbly "Mmmm," before he starts licking, nipping and sucking on my nipples. I moan his name and arch off the bed a little. I feel his lips form a smile before he continues. He peppers my stomach with wet, open mouthed kisses before sitting up and slipping my panties down my legs. He looks down at my naked body and I see the heat and passion that I had missed so much.

"Sookie, I don't know what I've done to deserve this, but remind me later to do it over and over again," he says, looking into my eyes and his hands running restlessly over my skin. He kneels between my legs and slides his hand down my stomach. Tracing his long fingers over my lower lips, he seems fascinated. He slips a finger though my folds and brings it to his lips. "Jesus, how is it possible that you taste this good?" he mumbles. He slides down the bed and lifts my legs over his shoulders. Holding me open in front of his face, his tongue darts out and swipes over me, back to front and I cry out with how good it feels. But I want more. It's been so fucking long.

His mouth goes to work on me, and his lips latch onto my clit, softly sucking. The finger he used earlier slowly slides into me; I'm so wet, there's no resistance. Sucking, licking, his mouth never rests while he slides another finger in and he pumps them in and out.

It's an exercise in futility to keep my hips on the bed. He uses his free arm to hold me down until he's done with me. I don't know what his past experience is, but shit, he sure as hell knows what he's doing. He twists his fingers as he fucks me with his hand and increases suction on my clit between swipes with his tongue. I feel my walls pulsing around his fingers and know it won't take much more. I shift under his arm, trying to get just that little bit more that I need. "Eric, please make me come," I pant, almost begging.

His fingers inside me speed up, pressing against my g-spot over and over as he flicks his tongue over my nub. Capturing it between his lips again, he sucks hard and I fucking explode. I swear to God I levitate, because I can't feel the bed below me or even Eric between my legs. Nothing except the waves of pleasure that are crashing over me as I scream his name.

He doesn't waste any time; he reaches into his nightstand drawer while I'm coming down and grabs a condom. I don't know why they're there and honestly, don't really care. He rips it open and rolls it on, then positions himself at my entrance. He pushes in just a little bit and stops. "Shit, you are so damn tight. I don't want to hurt you."

I wrap my legs around his hips and pull him closer. "You won't. Just don't stop," I plead. I can't remember wanting anything as bad I want him deep inside me. Right. Fucking. Now.

He takes me at my word and continues sliding into me, slowly. When he's in as deep as he can go, he stills and leans down to kiss me. I hold him to me, winding my fingers into his hair. Raising my hips against his, I wordlessly ask him to start moving.

He pulls back and thrusts in a little harder. I moan against his neck as his lips pluck at my collarbone. He speeds up little by little and I can't help but rock my hips to get him deeper. He repositions and lifts me so that my legs are more around his chest than his waist and the new angle feels so good, my eyes roll.

I force my eyes open and I see the strain on his face. "Baby, I need you to come for me. I'm close and I need you to come," he groans and tries to steady himself. I know I'm right on the edge and again, there's just one little push needed to get me over, but I'm not capable of forming the words I need. "Fuck," he growls and starts fucking me hard. Well, damn, wouldn't you know that was what I needed!

"Eric, oh God, don't fucking stop... Fuck!" I hear myself scream and he roars my name, stiffening above me and collapsing to my side. I'm fucking jelly. I don't want to move. Ever.

**EPOV**

I have never had a single experience in my life compare to this. Hell, take _all _the great experiences in my life and it still doesn't begin to measure up. I return from the bathroom where I get rid of the condom and pull Sookie into my side and she rests her head on my chest. She places a few soft kisses next to my nipple before resting her head in the hollow between my neck and shoulder and passing out.

I must have dozed off too, but we both wake up when the power is restored. At two fucking thirty in the morning, the house comes back to life. Sookie sits up and stretches experimentally with a small wince. She smiles at me, then starts laughing. I look at her questioningly.

"I think I just wasted a whole pan of chicken wings. I never got to make dinner." She continues to giggle and I realize I'm starving when Sookie's stomach rumbles. She walks naked out to my living room and pulls her dress back on. "Come on downstairs with me. It's too early for breakfast and too late for dinner, but I think I can find something for us to munch on to hold us over."

I think the dazed look on my face might have told her I wasn't used to this. She picks up my tank from the floor and brings it back to me. Handing it over, she asks what I'm worried about.

"Sookie, you're my boss. And we just did... that," I explain, motioning to the bed. If anything, her nonchalance is making me more uneasy.

"Ok, let me try to clarify things. Did I in _any_way make you feel like you had to have sex with me in order to keep your job?"

I shake my head. That would be a big "Hell no".

"Did I pressure you to do anything you didn't want to do?"

"Not at all," I say emphatically.

She smiles again. "Eric, we're both adults. We're insanely attracted to each other and if I'm not mistaken, we both wanted tonight to happen. I'm not saying it has to happen again or that your job depends on me getting sexed up regularly. That is not and never will be part of your 'job description'. But I'm not going to complain over a repeat performance either. And just so you know, I'm also not asking you to make some sort of declaration of undying love or anything like that. Neither of us are _there_. Look, we'll just take it a day at a time and see how it goes. Either way, take the whole 'I'm your boss' thing _out_of the equation. So, you hungry?" She turns and heads down the now well-lit stairs.

You can't ask for clearer than that. I follow her to the kitchen for refueling, because I **definitely** want to do that again.

**A/N: So, I don't really have a whole lot to say at this point. Only one chapter left. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this climatic chapter (pun completely intended). Please review, even if you haven't any of the other chapters. Pretty please. It really means so much.**


	5. Epilogue: Life goes on

**A/N: Yeah, I said I would post this later, but I'm impatient. I am LOVING the response this story has gotten. Amazing. Who thought my little need for a cowboy Eric would have come up with this story? Unfortunately, this is the end. MissyDee is fricking awesome. If you aren't reading her stories, you should be. Enjoy.**

**7 years later...**

**SPOV**

"Come on, Michalea, Just nudge her side a little. It won't hurt her. That's how she knows you're ready to go," I coach the four-year old on the tiny white pony. I have them in the beginners ring. The farm has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. We have three riding rings in addition to two separate stables. Eric handles the advanced riding classes and we split the intermediate.

I've added ponies to the farm, just like Gran had so many years ago. Candy gave birth to a colt that was the same beautiful gold as his mother and after we bred him the first time, we were indeed able to make back the expense of the mating fees with stud fees of our own.

I say we, because this farm is as much Eric's as it is mine at this point. He has invested as much of himself in seeing the ranch become a success as I have. We still have the same routine now as we did at the start. I wake up first and make breakfast at the start of the day; he wakes up later and eats it with me before heading out to work together. Only now, we wake up in the same bed.

He was understandably nervous when we started this part of our relationship. Neither of us knew how it was going to end or even if it would end. We had a long talk about our pasts, because I wasn't willing to saddle someone else with my relationship baggage if they didn't want it. I was stunned when he told me he had had two girlfriends in high school and that was the extent of his experience before meeting me. The boy must just be naturally gifted. He has accepted that I'm not ready to get married again, and may not ever be. We have each other and are committed to each other. That's all either of us need.

I finish Michalea's lesson and have her lead Misty to the stable and review the proper grooming before we finish for the day. That's part of every lesson. If the students want to ride, they have to learn to care for the horse properly. Eric flashes me a smile while he trains Gypsy on taking jumps in the advanced ring. The filly is not quite a year old yet, but she needs to get used to making the hurdles before she can take a rider.

We have made quite a name for ourselves in this little town in the middle of nowhere, Virginia. We have boarders from all over the state and even other states. I have had to hire a few more hands to handle day-to-day maintenance on the farm since Eric and I focus on the teaching, training, and breeding aspects of the farm. The other hands get paid well for their services, but they don't live on the property. However, I will feed them from time to time. It always seems like I cook too much for just two people.

I see a blue minivan pull up and Michalea runs out to greet her mom. It tickles me to no end that the shallow, rude girl that Eric took on his first date after moving in with me is the mother of this adorable little girl. Pam sweeps her daughter up in a hug and hands me the check for the week's lesson. I write out a receipt for her before she pulls away.

The new farm hands, Clancy and Claude, head for their trucks, waving goodbye to both Eric and myself as they leave for the day. I get Misty into her stall and stroll out to the advanced ring to watch Eric cool Gypsy down after her workout. I love watching him with the horses. His senses with them borders on spooky. Whatever farm in Kentucky let him go lost out on a lot.

I follow him into the stable and help him groom her so we can head in for dinner. After she's brushed and glossy, he gets her into her stall and wraps his arm around my shoulders as we walk into the house.

**EPOV**

God, I love her. Every single day since we've been together has been an adventure. It took us maybe another six months to get the ranch to where we wanted it to start. Despite his shitty attitude and being rejected, that JB tool did deliver on a great stable. So much so that he was hired again when we needed the second one built. But he never did ask her out again.

I've asked her to marry me at least five times since then, and she always turns me down, but in the best possible way. We can talk to each other about anything, and I can understand her being gun shy. And I'm not bothered by it, really. She's committed to me and we're both committed to this ranch. I have no questions where she is concerned.

We've bred out Full Moon several times since the Palomino coloring is so rare in this part of the country; I swear he gets laid almost as often as I do. We have entered him in shows to get him seen and we've bred him ourselves with a few unrelated mares that we've added to the farm since he was born. Anything to keep his gorgeous genetics in circulation.

Even I am surprised by how well I communicate with the horses. I hadn't had a whole lot of up close experience with them before. I just knew I liked riding. When we started teaching, I found that I have an ability to calm skittish foals, overprotective mares and uncooperative stallions. For that reason, I started taking the advanced classes. It takes patience to get the horses to do what you want.

Sookie makes a simple dinner of spaghetti and a salad while I wash up. We talk about the classes for the week coming up. She tells me she's had some interest in Full Moon from a couple of breeding farms in Kentucky and I smile. Despite his muddy bloodlines, he is pure champion and any foals he sires will have the benefit also.

Everything was slow going at first. It took a hefty investment to get the ponies and the other mares, but completely worth it in the end. We started taking students about three years ago and have had to create levels as the students got older and learned more. Word spread and we were surprised to learn how thin the teaching options were for someone who wanted to learn.

We finished dinner and cleaned the kitchen. It was still early and the sun was just hitting the horizon. "Come with me," Sookie says, standing by the door. "I feel like taking a sunset ride.

We head out to the stable where I grab Blaze and she gets one of the first mares we bought, Phoenix, ready for a ride. We both have a special affection for her. Sookie named her because that's how she felt about her life. She felt everything had burned around her and she was sitting in the ashes waiting to be reborn. Then she met me. She kissed me when she said that. Show me any guy that doesn't feel good after a compliment like that.

We take the horses out bareback. Sometimes it just feels better without a saddle, and no, that isn't a euphemism. We head through the fields down to a little pond that had been unused for so long, Sookie had actually forgotten about it's existence. We cleared one of the far fields and found it behind the weeds. After a particularly rainy summer, we stocked it with some trout and catfish. I've thought about adding a little dock for fishing, but it's really too small to need one. I'm fine sitting on the bank.

Sookie spreads out an old quilt that we keep in the barn just for this reason. I hop off Blaze and let him go graze in the enclosed field and she does the same with Phoenix. I join her on the ground and watch the sky change colors with the sunset. When the light show is done, I look at her.

She's thirty-four now and she doesn't look a single day of it. Sometimes, she manages to look younger than me. Her hair is still the color of ripe wheat, although is no longer to her mid-back. She cut it to her shoulders when it got too long to manage easily, especially when the horses liked to chew on it. I cut my own hair when I experienced that particular sensation. Not pleasant.

I lean in and kiss her hard. I haven't gotten over the things she makes me feel in all these years. We start and intense make-out session there in the field on the quilt and I can tell pretty quickly that it isn't going to end there. She sits up, strips off her t-shirt and shimmies out of her jeans until she's laying underneath me in a bright red bra and boyshorts. Ugh. And she knows red is my favorite color.

It's hard for me to stop touching her long enough to get my own clothes off. I still want her in ways that I have never experienced before. Once I get my jeans and shirt off, she smiles and I let her push me onto my back. She straddles my waist and leans down to start kissing me; my mouth, my neck, my chest, none of it gets ignored, but I'm an impatient man.

I reach behind her and unclasp her bra, letting me see those amazing breasts. They fill my hands perfectly and I brush her nipples with my thumbs, making her shiver and moan as they harden under my ministrations. I scoot her down to my lap so I can sit up and lick and suck those perfect pinks buds.

She grinds her lace covered center over me and I feel amazing heat rolling off her. She shifts up to her knees and works to get her underwear off without making me stop what I'm doing. She tosses them in the direction the rest of our clothes have gone and pushes me back down. I love it when she gets all bossy with me. I also love it when she lets me take control. Hell, as long as I have her, I'm happy either way.

I slip a finger through her folds and can't help but growl at how fucking wet she is. A finger into her entrance and I know she's ready for me. I position her right over my cock, which is standing at full attention, and let her go at her pace. She slides herself down on my slowly and we both moan once I'm as deep into her as I can get.

She starts rocking back and forth, rolling her hips on each rotation. I still can't get over how she _still_feels so tight around me. I can't decide whether I want to watch the way her tits bounce as she rides me or the way my dick looks sliding in and out of her, stretching her. She leans forward and holds my hands down with hers, and kisses me hard again. The way she's positioned, every time she rocks back, my cock grazes her clit and she's all but continuously moaning and whimpering into my mouth.

I know she's close; I feel her walls around me start to flutter and it feels fucking awesome. I let go of her hands and grab her hips, thrusting into her from below. Her whimpers grow to screams and she comes all over me. Nothing is hotter than seeing my woman on top of me, stiff and spasming, crying out my name.

I pull out for just a second and have her get on her hands and knees. As soon as she's in position, I shove back into her hard. My hands go right back to her hips and the only sound besides her moaning and my grunting is the slap of skin on skin. She feels like she's about to come again and I increase my tempo. Right when she starts screaming again, I pulse inside her and come so hard I see spots for a minute.

I fall to the side and stay on my back after pulling her down to rest her head on my chest. I run my fingers through her hair and just listen to the night sounds grow around us. I think about the time of year and realize her birthday is right around the corner.

"Baby, what do you want for your birthday this year?" I ask. I never know what to get her and have found it's just easier to ask directly instead of playing guessing games.

She kisses my nipple, giving me goosebumps. "You know you don't have to get me anything. Just make me a promise."

That's weird, but okay. "Anything. What do you want me to promise?"

She sits up and looks into my eyes, trying to look for something. I don't know what it is. "Promise me that when I'm all fat and hormonal and grumpy, you'll still love me and at least tell me I'm beautiful, even if I'm not."

I cock my head, confused. Not sure _why_she wants me to promise her that, but if that's what she wants, she's got it and I tell her so. Not that I could ever think she's not beautiful. I've seen her with the flu and covered in things better left unmentioned and she could still turn me on.

She smirks and I can see her thinking. Finally, I can see her come to a decision and nod to herself. I'll be the first to admit that subtle doesn't work on me. She grasps my chin and looks right into my eyes. "You're going to be a daddy, Eric. I'm pregnant."

Speechless. Stunned. We had talked about kids, but I always figured it would be after marriage. Since it was pretty unlikely that we would ever take that step, I'm glad now that we aren't waiting. I shift onto my side and kiss her again. A baby. Me, a dad? Just like with everything else, I'm ready and willing to jump in feet first and learn as I go.

I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed at all that Sookie has given me. A job. A home. A love. A passion. And now a family. I lean in and kiss her again. As unexpected as it is, she's become my whole world and I can't think of anything else I could want.

**A/N: Hope that satisfied all you HEA nuts out there. As with everything else, just because there's the "c" next to this doesn't mean I don't love reviews. Please leave any thoughts, criticisms, hopes, dreams... yada yada yada.**

**Also Makesmyheadspin made me an AWESOME banner. Since FF has disabled links, I'm gonna try here.**

**Http: / ****a1 . sphotos . ak . Fbcdn . ****net / hphotos-ak-snc7 / 407642_144358955680796_100003200783454_181961_2046870775_n . Jpg **

**just remove the spaces before and after the backslashes and dots. Hope that works.**


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